Russia Uses AI to Discover New Deposits of Solid Minerals
“Digital eyes” are helping locate “hidden” oil and coal reserves.
In 2025, Russia made a sharp leap in the discovery of new solid mineral deposits. A total of 251 deposits were identified, with digital technologies and artificial intelligence playing a key role in the process.
Machine learning algorithms analyze geological data and point specialists to the most promising locations to drill. Previously, companies had to spend vast resources searching for deposits. According to Russia’s Natural Resources Ministry, the use of these technologies is delivering economic gains worth hundreds of millions of rubles on individual projects.
Coal resources in Russia saw particularly strong growth last year. Proven reserves increased sevenfold, largely due to the adoption of advanced technologies.
No Hiding “Black Gold” From AI
Investor access to subsurface resources has also been significantly simplified, with licensing moved to an online format. This has markedly accelerated project implementation.
Digital technologies are also helping identify new oil fields and unlock the potential of existing ones by highlighting areas with previously untapped reserves.
Year-end results confirm that the digital transformation of geological exploration is becoming a key driver of growth for Russia’s extractive sector.
